Chinese President Xi Jinping extends condolences to Biden over former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger's demise

Kissinger died on Wednesday at his home in Connecticut at the age of 100, The Washington Post reported.

Xi sent his deepest sympathies and best wishes to Kissinger's family on behalf of the Chinese government and people, as well as in his name.

According to the Global Times, Xi Jinping, in his message, said Kissinger was a world-renowned strategist and an old friend and good friend of the Chinese people.

With an outstanding strategic vision, Kissinger made historic contributions to the normalisation of China-US relations, which has not only benefited the two countries but also changed the world, Xi said.

Xi further said that "Kissinger had made it his lifelong pursuit to promote the development of China-US relations and enhance the friendship between the two peoples, and his name will always be associated with China-US relations," according to Global Times.

Following Kissinger's secret trip to China in 1971, a foundation was laid for then-US President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China the following year and the eventual normalisation of US-China ties was also made possible by him.

The top US diplomat, who was born in Germany, has since made over 100 trips to China, with the most recent trip occurring in July 2023, Global Times reported.

Kissinger's death was announced in a statement by his consulting firm, which did not mention the cause. Kissinger, a scholar, statesman and celebrity diplomat held unparalleled power over US foreign policy during the administrations of US Presidents - Richard M Nixon and Gerald Ford and afterwards as a consultant and writer, shared opinions that shaped global politics and business, according to The Washington Post report.

Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born in Germany's Furth on May 27, 1923. He was 12 years old when the Nuremberg Laws stripped Germany's Jews of their citizenship. Sponsored by a relative in New York, Kissinger and his family left Germany and moved to the US in August 1938. He became Henry after he moved to the US.

As the only person ever to be White House National Security Advisor and US Secretary of State at the same time, he had control over US foreign policy that has rarely been equalled by anyone who was not the president, The Washington Post reported.

Kissinger and Vietnam's Le Duc Tho shared the Nobel Peace Prize for the secret negotiations that led to the 1973 Paris Agreement and ended the participation of the US military in the Vietnam War. His "shuttle diplomacy" after the 1973 Middle East war helped stabilise ties between Israel and its Arab neighbours.

With his German accent, incisive wit, owlish looks and zest for socialising in Hollywood, he was instantly recognised across the world. When he was appointed US Secretary of State, a Gallup poll found him to be the most admired person in the country, the report said.

Even in his final years, he continued to write books and participate in conferences and parties. In July 2023, at the age of 100, Kissinger visited China. During his visit to China, he received a warm welcome from senior Chinese officials, who praised him for being a statesman unrivalled in the US.

His visit to Beijing came amid strained ties between the US and China.

Notably, the ties between the US and China became strained after then-US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August 2022, which China claims part of its territory. (ANI)